--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We were not having any fun, he had…" description: "\"We were not having any fun, he had recently begun pointing out. I would take exception (didn't we do this, didn't we do that) but I had also known what..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/984/joan-didion-497_doing-things_we-were-not-having-any-fun-he-had-recent_1099000.jpg" --- # We were not having any fun, he had recently begun pointing… ![“We were not having any fun, he had recently begun pointing out. I would take exception (didn't we do this, didn't we do that) but I had also known what he meant. He meant doing things not because we were expected to do them or had always done them or should do them but because we wanted to do…” quote by Joan Didion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/984/joan-didion-497_doing-things_we-were-not-having-any-fun-he-had-recent_1099000.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/984/joan-didion-497_doing-things_we-were-not-having-any-fun-he-had-recent_1099000.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/984/joan-didion-497_doing-things_we-were-not-having-any-fun-he-had-recent_1099000.jpg) > “We were not having any fun, he had recently begun pointing out. I would take exception (didn't we do this, didn't we do that) but I had also known what he meant. He meant doing things not because we were expected to do them or had always done them or should do them but because we wanted to do them. He meant wanting. He meant living.” [Joan Didion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-didion/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Choosing actions for personal desire rather than external expectations leads to authentic living. **In simple terms:** Live for what you truly want. Key Takeaway Prioritize genuine desire over duty. Themes authenticity desire living choice Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - career decisions - creative projects - personal relationships - everyday habits Key Concepts existentialism self-determination Questions to Reflect On - What would you do if expectations disappeared? - How does desire shape your identity? A Different Perspective Desire can clash with responsibilities or social norms. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fun/) ## Related quotes > [“I could have argued that her wanting to do something for me meant she was ultimately acting in her own interests, but it might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graeme-simsion/i-could-have-argued-that-her-wanting-to-do-something-for-me-meant-she/) [Graeme Simsion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graeme-simsion/) > [ “\[He\] mumbled something about how being a Hungarian meant wanting nothing and being prepared for anything. 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I was crazy about reading biographies. \[...\] I think biographies are very urgent… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-didion/i-read-so-ravenously-that-i-would-read-through-whole-categories-i-was/) [Joan Didion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-didion/) > [To those of us who remained committed mainly to the exploration of moral distinctions and ambiguities, the feminist analysis may have seemed a particularly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-didion/to-those-of-us-who-remained-committed-mainly-to-the-exploration-of/) [Joan Didion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-didion/) [Explore all 515 Joan Didion quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-didion/) ## More Doing things quotes > [I love casting against type and doing things you wouldn't expect, because I think you get more interesting performances that way. Hollywood loves to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/i-love-casting-against-type-and-doing-things-you-wouldn-t-expect/) [David S. 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